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New Kids on the Block – The Block – review

new kids on the block
Artist: New Kids on the Block
Title: The Block
Label: TInterscope
Rating: 3/10

Corporate line:
You know ’em, You love ’em, you can’t live without them. New Kids on The Block are back with their first new music in 14 years.

The good:
Nothing.

The rest:
“Click Click Click – It starts off sounding like any other boy band. And then you’ll say to yourself “okay, its tolerable” and then they sing: “bounce for me/bounce for me.” And then you say to yourself: “this can’t be serious.” Sadly it is.

“Single” – NKOTB are full of old guys and still they sound like they are singing to teenage girls. There is something very disturbing about the whole thing. They should have just gave this song to Chris Brown.

“Big Girl” f/Lady Gaga – This isn’t for teenage girls, thank the Lord, but NKOTB sound like they are the backup group as Lady Gaga steals the show.

“Summertime” – “Big Girl” would have been a better single than this weak attempt at reinventing the Backstreet Boys.

“Dirty Dancing” – You can always tell how old someone is by what or who they reference–in this case it references a movie from the 1980s.How old are these guys anyway?

The worst:
“Sexify My Life” – It doesn’t get much worse than this. At one point they are singing for teenage girls and they next they are trying to sexify their lives–you can feel how lame it is just by saying those words.

Finally:
The New Kids on the Block are back and the real question is: “who cares?” They were irrelevant after their third album (the first one bombed). NSYNC was more popular and even created a superstar out of one of their members–that never happened with any NKOTB member. It’s hard to really write anything more other than its a bad album from a bunch of older guys wanting to be superstars again.The biggest problem is that they are all older, but apparently not wiser–the proof is in the music.

Watch the video for “Summertime”

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Comments

46 responses to “New Kids on the Block – The Block – review”

  1. Ava Avatar
    Ava

    1. “Bounce for me/bounce for me” is actually “Pose for me/pose for me.”
    2. NKOTB doesn’t even look at PICTURES of teenage girls. What makes you think they were SINGING to them?
    3. Why should they give the song to Chris Brown? Are you implying that you’re being biased against the song JUST because NKOTB sang it? I think you just revealed the irrelevance of your credibility.
    4. Where in the music industry is a pop group required to produce a superstar our of one of the members?
    5. “Who cares?” Maybe the 4000+ fans in New York on 5/16/08 camping out in the street for them care.

    This reunion was never meant for you. It would be professional of you to do some research prior to writing this review. “Summertime” was never intended to reinvent anything. It is a song that pays homage to their fans. It is about the summer of 1988 when they and their fans first discovered each other. This is the subtext to it. Anything they are doing now is all because of the fans. They have a team of people who do research on what the fans want. So whatever they are doing, it’s because the fans wanted it. The fans wanted to see them bring back their old dance moves, their voices, their comraderie, their existence as a unit, etc. The New Kids on the Block were more than just a pop group. They meant a lot to their fans in terms of their upbringing, their influence, their personality, their childhood, their memories, etc. They will always be attached to a time when life was easier and we were all carefree. It is that exact feeling that they bring back to us that make us love them, not to mention the love that they show back to the fans. I can explain everything to you but you could never know. Thanks for the review but I think I’ll look to someone who has some merit.

  2. mashia6 Avatar
    mashia6

    Hello. In click they say Pose for Me, Pose for me. They think their woman is so beautiful they are trying to remember her in thier mind like a photograph. Listen to something more than once before you review it.

  3. deborah Avatar
    deborah

    Damn, you are a hater, aren’t you? The NK aren’t trying to re-invent anyone. Please remember, there wouldn’t have been a Backstreet Boys if there wasn’t the New Kids on the Block. Big Girl Now was written for their fans who have also grown up. And, if you had read the titles to the songs, you would see the song is called “Sexify My Love”, not “Sexify My Life”.

  4. NKOTBfan Avatar
    NKOTBfan

    UHM, the line is ‘POSE FOR ME’…If you are gonna bash them at least have the lines right…I know you must be wildly creative and would be able to put out hit after hit so you can be so critical.

    And NSYNC was in NO way bigger than New Kids, they may have yielded Justin Timberlake but the group was not a New Kids type success. (NK sold 80 milion albums and generated hundreds of millions in merchandise and endorsements)

    The new CD is very relavent and has some major players in the music industry on it (Hello, you MAY have heard of Timderland?). These people would not work with artists or on material that was not great, current & worth their time…

    Go in with an open mind, every song may not be your type but there are some really great songs and it may surprise you!

  5. Hip Online Avatar
    Hip Online

    Does “Pose for me” make it any better?

  6. oldschool Avatar
    oldschool

    Who ever wrote this review is still living in the 90’s when it was cool to say thay sucked, Grow up man! I must admit I didn’t like these guys when they were huge. Only because they were plastered all over the place but there music was just as good as any other teen pop group. Also why do you think there so old, did you ever here of LL Cool J, Jay-Z and many more 37+ artist?

    In addition, there new CD sound good compared to what’s on the radio today.

    This review suck’s its obvious this guys trying to impress his friends!

  7. S Avatar
    S

    Hmm You’ll notice that not one of these readers agree with you. And if you listen to the lyrics for any of the songs perhaps this review might be more credible. Also perhaps make sure that hiponline doesn’t advertise NKOTB’s album at the bottom of your hater review. It’s obviously biased. But this album isn’t for you, it’s made for their fans and they are picking up new fans everyday. I think the other comments says it all.

  8. Celeste Avatar
    Celeste

    Boy do you ever have it wrong. They don’t want connect with new fans. They want to connect with the people who have been fans of theirs since the begining.

  9. Megan Avatar
    Megan

    I agree with the reviewer.

  10. Shivettez Avatar
    Shivettez

    Your review is shit. Clearly you are under the age of 21 and you know shit about music. This is easily better than any of their other albums. I bet you gave the last Jay-Z album a bad review due to his age. Grow up, dummy. You want to review albums , be more open minded.

  11. LISA Avatar
    LISA

    GO F**** YOURSELF!!!!! You have no idea what good music is!!!! And for you to even say something about the whole “Dirty Dancing” thing hummmm you rememeber that movie right??? SO HOW OLD ARE YOU ANYWAYS????

  12. Dawn Avatar
    Dawn

    I don’t think the New Kids record has any reflection on age. There are Many artist out there in their late 30’s with good music (Mariah Carey, Jay-Z ect…). Music is music, it either sucks or it don’t. With that being said I am a huge long time fan of the band and I don’t think they made this album for anyone except their true die hard fans, me being one. The album isn’t the best music ever made, but cut them some slack, they are not that bad. They’re doing what they love and did something right along the way to have made as much money as they did and to accumalate the fan base they have. More to say then you or I will ever do! Don’t be such a hater.

  13. Robyn Avatar
    Robyn

    Who ever you are if you are going to say things about their CD Get the songs right A.. H… I think you are mad because they still got it and you don’t if you are the same age These Guys will always be better than Backdoor boys because they don’t need nailpolish like one of the back door boys do. All I know is that you need to get a life…….

  14. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    This band has accomplished selling millions of albums unlike others bands in the past. Maybe if some objective open minded person was writing the review they would have known what the NKOTB are all about. Mr. reviewer, have you sold 80 million records or articles, I don’t think so. So, when you get to that status maybe you’ll have some ground to stand on! These men have work extremely hard their young lives to get to where they are now. Maybe the record company came to them to do the Album…ever thought of that????? It must be envy you have towards successful artist. Do your research before writting an article on an album…oh, wait your not smart enough! You are just writing a hate article for some online crappy webpage. Your review is very one sided and you need to be fired from this website!!

  15. ad Avatar
    ad

    Well, how can you be a reviewer when you can’t be constructive in your comments? 2. your information are not accurate 3. You compare groups that are irrelevant 4. you rate music base on AGE????
    well, since your review & comments are based on personal preferences & full of prejudice, WE WOULD NOT BOTHER TO COME TO THIS WEBSITE FOR RELIABLE INFORMATION!

    For all other readers, DON’T FALL INTO THIS TRAP OF REPLYING & VISIT THIS WEBSITE. THEY WANT POPULARITY BY CREATING ANGER IN US TO COME TO BOMBARD THEM, FORGET IT. LET’S US VISIT OTHER WEBSITE THAT ARE MORE WORTHWHILE. CHEERS

  16. jo Avatar
    jo

    I would suggest first doing a little research before reviewing something! I’m so tired about the whole “They are too old comment”. I mean my God as if ENTERTAINERS can only perform when they are teenagers. You don’t know how dumb that sounds! You know there are many singers/performers out there in their 30’s right now so wtf! Jordan and Joe both have done well in their solo careers so where were you then? You didn’t say shit. It’s because this band “Together” is HUGE and of course all you can do is either love them or find ways to put them down to piss off the fans.

    Also all of their fans have grown up with them so they are singing to the ladies now. If this music was put to another current artist you wouldn’t be talking. You’re just stuck with the same mentality that they were a boyband. Although New Kids were the only band in their era that had huge success.

  17. check1 Avatar
    check1

    THE ALBUM HIT NUMBER 4 ON THE CHARTS AND SHOULD BE NUMBER 1 BY NEXT WEEK

    SO I CAN SEE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT.

    YOU SHOULD BE FIRED ASAP

    YOU SUCK

  18. angie Avatar
    angie

    i lu it, and u have it wrong!!!!!! ihave always been a loyal fan, and always will be. think what u want, but the NK and their fans are happy with it nd thats all that really matters! and i think the first girl, Ava said everything perfectly. well done, i agree

  19. Marna Avatar
    Marna

    I am a former New Kids fans but did not have high hopes for the album after the first single, Summertime. I thought Summertime was a massive disappointment and is still the weakest song on the album. The rest of the album however? ROCKS. I have been totally surprised by how great and catchy all the beats are, and how varied the music is. They stay true to their New Kids roots with catchy songs, yet demonstrate their maturity in arrangement and collaboration. Clearly this reviewer had it in for them from the get go.

  20. dude Avatar
    dude

    I think their album is awesome.

  21. Eileen Castro Avatar
    Eileen Castro

    This album is AWESOME!!!! I cannot believe that as a so called professional you can write a piece of garbage like this. You get the lyrics wrong, you get the song title wrong… WTF?! You are a loser and you need to go back to school or get a new profession. As was stated by many other people before me, this album is for the true, old school fans, yet it gives them the opportunity to bring the joy to others as well. I for one can tell you that when I heard they were getting back together I dancwed around my office, and was made fun of by many men, but when the album came out and I let them borrow my copy to listen to… Well,. needless to say, all the guys really liked the album. It actually was killing some of them to admit it, but they manned up and did admit to it in the end! I think that reaction alone speaks for itself!!! NKOTB ruled back then and they will rule again!

  22. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    While I do agree that the album won’t win any awards, I don’t this this reviewer gave the album the credit it deserves. It is a good album for a group that hasn’t been together in 15 years. It is current and actually kind of fresh. While, I do agree that Sexify My Love is a bit lame, I found the rest of the album good. The album was upbeat and I thought the beats were great and the lyrics were ok, some I would even call good. Their first single Summertime was cute, but the rest of the album is more sexual and urban. I think that the audience that this album was intended for will very much enjoy it and it may even pick up a few new fans along the way.

  23. 80'sFresh Avatar
    80’sFresh

    The latest from NKOTB is a very good effort. I commend the guys for getting back together to relive old times, as the rest of us, who knew them back then, do when we listen to their music. Just the fact that they’ve reunited is pretty awesome, I think. I love their new songs and indeed, the feel is very “mature,” but that’s what makes the songs sexy and gives the guys a new appeal. They’re not that old in age anyway, and even if they were, their performing now can’t be any more strange than other groups and bands still hittin’ it up on stage long after the debut (The Rolling Stones, The Cure, etc.).

  24. OneTime Avatar
    OneTime

    A lot of people are bothered by this review. Bottom line, we all know after listening to “The Block” several times, that we can easily agree that this is NKOTB’s best work, period. The fault of this review is that it’s writer doesn’t understand the audience. This is the ultimate boy/man band album. It’s packed with perfectly catchy pop songs that contain sexy lyrics that women in their late twenties and early thirties absolutely love, especially when they are sung to them by five very handsome men. It’s not high art, but that’s not what it’s supposed to be. Besides, it appeals to the less serious side that SHOULD exist in all of us. This isn’t normally what you would expect from a reunion album, but it’s true. It’s perfect. Accept it and get over it!

  25. OneLuv Avatar
    OneLuv

    I’m a 30 year old educated female and I LOVE the album! It’s clear that you’re not able to listen and look at the album w/o prejudice so who cares what you think? People DO care. . the album was number 2 on the charts the 1st week out and the tour is sellling out all over the world!!! If people didn’t care that wouldn’t be happening. Of course you’d realize that and be able to admit if you worked for a real publication but you work for some online site that means nothing to anyone. New Kids are still getting love from everywhere so get over yourself.

  26. Notsobad Avatar
    Notsobad

    These guys are true rebels. Since day one critics have been trashing the New kids because they do not fit the expected musical mold. According to critics they cant sing, dance or write lyrics but regardless NKOTB became one of the biggest musical acts of our time and have had the biggest influence in pop music. What I am saying is that this CD is not so bad and I never cared about these guys until recently, I guess I like to cheer for the underdogs.

    So for all you haters the lesson here is, “don’t try to be another clone in society, F…..K the critics if they say you suck just keep doing your thing. You could turn out to be the next phenomenon…….”

  27. DJ Cutest Avatar
    DJ Cutest

    Sexify My Love? It’s my personal favorite song on the album… Ü But, if it’s your opinion I respect it…but be more responsible on every posting. I think you’re just a hater.. It shows!

  28. NEWKIDS4EVER Avatar
    NEWKIDS4EVER

    Corporate Line:
    Don’t write a review of an album if you can’t even get the song title right.
    geez!

    The good:

    Nothing. Absolutely nothing!

    The rest:

    Garbage!

    The worst:

    “SEXIFY MY LOVE” (Again, SEXIFY MY LOVE!) is not as lame as your biased opinion!

    Finally:

    this review doesnt deserve even the slightest recognition so he better stfu!!

    RATING: 0/100!

  29. Jo Avatar
    Jo

    omg – this new nkotb album – fantastic! I nearly peed my pants with excitement when it went on sale! I listened to it and was like Emma you have so gotta listen to this. Bearing in mind I am now 30 and my daughter Emma is 9 I can guarantee u that nkotb are still for their old fans but are also now for new fans cos she was like – ooh whose that when she saw Joe and Jordans piccies – like mother like daughter! To the person who started this thread off – wake up and smell the coffee love cos you may well have just dissed one of the best albums of the year and like someone else said – are you even old enough to know who they are anyway??? You are jsut jealous me thinks cos they are proving they still got it!

  30. jannelle Avatar
    jannelle

    i love how people come to the defense of the NKOTB.

    the bottom line is they are a bunch of middle-aged, mildly-talented, mediocre band that has NO SUBSTANCE whatsoever. You like their music? Im glad. It means that the teeny-bopper crowd that they appealed to when they first came out is still alive and kickin’, and their music taste hasn’t gotten better since.

    *the reason they came back out was to make a profit off of idiots who will actually PAY for their music* Forty year old men in clubs groping beautiful women? How old are we?

    If you an actually listen to the lyrics of ‘Single’ and tell me that the song is full of meaning, and amazing, then i digress. Talking about being a girls boyfriend until the song goes off? Come on, people. We are adults. Does this actually APPEAL to you??? Have meaning? Okay, wait. Maybe you can actually relate to being lonely enough to want a man to tell you he’ll be your boyfriend for the night. I mean, until the song is over.

    Not to be a total witch with a capital B, i do think that its crazy a band can come out years later and still manage to pull off a successful debut. I commend them for that, especially when a more talented (come on, admit it) band such as Backstreet Boys came back out with rather GOOD albums after the 90’s boy band hysteria died down, and actually didn’t do well. But call it as we see it, folks. There is nothing amazing, ground-breaking, or utterly special about this reunion.

  31. Avatar
    Anonymous

    You’re an idiot. Get off the internet before you hurt yourself….

  32. Tammykins Avatar
    Tammykins

    WTF?!
    you are so stupid!
    this is one of the best albums ive heard this year!
    they also worked with a bunch of great ppl on this album!
    if this were any current group out right now and this was there album,
    you would probably give a great review on it!

  33. Cindy Avatar
    Cindy

    I don’t even know why these people bothered defending the band. Donnie said it best at the concert Tuesday night. Noone will ever understand the love we all have for them. We appreciate their music. We have been fans for the past 20 years. We support them. Noone else matters. There is enough of us out there to keep them going. Each of their shows selling out in a matter of minutes should be proof enough. In regards to a superstar being made from n’sync…. Both Jordan and Joey came out with solo albums and Donnie is a movie star…. you may have seen him in a little movie called Saw and all of its sequals or maybe a little number called the sixth sense. So, as I see it NKOTB has produced more than one superstar.

    P.S. Their album is amazing. Otherwise Ne-yo, Akon, etc wouldn’t have worked with them and put their own butts on the line for it. So, find another day job because you obviously don’t know what the hell you are talking about.

  34. I say Avatar
    I say

    Admit to yourself that you secretly love it and realize that all you wrote is total CRAP!!!
    The album is both wonderfully new and refreshing, but lovingly reminiscent of the old days.

    Ohhhh I get it… you don’t like it ’cause you’re still hoping 98 degrees makes a comeback and this will clearly make it hard for them to shine…. It’s ok baby, you’ll always have Newlyweds reruns!!!!

  35. Silky is the Truth Avatar
    Silky is the Truth

    I get so tired of listening to these “music experts” putting their personal vendettas out there rather than rating the music. This is probably the best cd I have bought in the past 10 years and surprisingly it just happens to be the New Kids…….imagine that. Dicknose over here should just shut his mouth and maybe just maybe he might be respected at a music critic. I got the album day one and I’m proud to say I can sing just about every word on there! The only thing I would change is there needs to be some Danny lead vocals on the next one fellas. To say they are singing to teenage girls is absurd, I am a 29 year old STRAIGHT BLACK MALE my favorite type of music is r & b and I have been a fan since I was 11 and I ain’t shame to say it. And just like everybody else said it’s pose for me/pose for me on click, click, click at least if you are going to dog somebody get the words right ass clown

  36. Mandy Avatar
    Mandy

    this is an uneducated useless cheap review. Is this even an offical review site? I gotta take a second look. . Becuase whoever wrote this doesn’t seem to know much about boyband history. . Which is actually important to the evolution of certain areas of pop music. A review is meant as a review based on professional educated knowledge , but this is someone’s personal attack. . . man . . .did you have a bad experience or something that involved NKOTB?? cuz this is a garbage review. . NKOTB is the reason those that followed did so well. Its called laying the path for others .. . And I would just about bet that Justin learned from Jordan’s mistakes , which in turn, helped him to where he is . . . so . . do some research before you go shootin from the hip . . . please. . .

  37. Mandy Avatar
    Mandy

    Silky. . what you just said is right on and good. . . im happy to see some testosterone up in here defending these boys. . . There aint a damn thing wrong with singing about loving some sexiness or loving dirty dancing. . . I also know just about all the words on that album. . . os stuff up in your special places . . “music critic”

  38. Daniel Michel Avatar
    Daniel Michel

    no idea what you’re talking about.
    new kids on the block really did it well with this album.
    i love it.

  39. Nicky Avatar
    Nicky

    You are an ignorant idiot!!!!! You are obviously jealous they are famous and you can only HOPE to get to their level of success. Maybe if you got the lyrics right you might be a **LITTLE** bit credible.

  40. wendy Avatar
    wendy

    BEST CD EVER!

  41. Christie Avatar
    Christie

    They bounce and pose all the way to the bank!!!! Im sure the checks your cashing arent that impressive!

  42. Niko Avatar
    Niko

    Um…wow. It’s just a review…as in, it’s this person’s OPINION. Everyone is entitled to one, right? So just because this reviewer doesn’t like the new NKOTB cd, which – let’s be honest here – could definitely have been alot better, you all think this person isn’t qualified to do their job? I’m sorry – I highly doubt that one of the requirements of the job description was to bend to the will of the public and declare this a great cd, though I personally think it’s crap.

  43. XANATOS Avatar
    XANATOS

    LOL. The review is terrible. The album is safe. NKOTB was a phenomenon back in the 90s. No they aren’t the best musically talented people in the world. But listen to music today and there are only a handful of legitimate talented stars today. Music is so over produces and “cleaned up” you will be surprised who really has the talent. Can you say producers? I think it is great that they came back for whatever reason. It may have been to recapture that feeling they shared together back in the day. The rush of making music and performing. Don’t you wonder how it must feel to have arenas full of people screaming for you? After 15 years don’t you think it would be nice to feel that again? Say Payday? I am not sure how much of the hundreds of millions of dollars they actually pocketed from their time on top of Forbes list of most money making musicians at the time but in case you are only 21 and have no clue, albums, tours, video specials, cartoons, lunch boxes, dolls, bed spreads..etc etc etc. They had their face on everything you can imagine. But back to the point. Why wouldn’t you want to score another big payday later in your life. To help have financial security for your family as you get older and your options become less. But for whatever reasons they had for their comeback its theirs to own. And I am sure that this reviewer really didn’t do his/her research. Listen to these comments and check out NKOTB’s performances and concerts. People care. And if you were even smarter you would realize that NKOTB has a significant place in music history. I believe without New Edition and NKOTB (thanks Maurice Starr) there wouldn’t have been Backstreet boys or N’Sync. That is the magic of music. And my review of the Block is positive. They didnt blow the doors off but they did make a safe good pop/RnB album. Few of the songs are more than good. I am glad that they came back. And the one thing that may help you in your future reviews is understanding that the great thing about music is that it meant to be interpreted in different ways. Music and lyrics can mean different things to different people. So kudos to the Kids for the balls to put themselves out there and give their fans what they wanted. More NKOTB music. We need a little pop life back in our lives during these hard times. For them to do what they are doing after 15 years and still have the following is inspiring in itself….I wonder where this reviewer will be in 15 years…..Thanks.

  44. LoveJay Avatar
    LoveJay

    Well I must admit I hated NKOTB when they were at their prime. I never liked any of their songs and just like New Edition Kids singing about love at that young age didn’t apeal to me because they were not men and what do little boys know about love? They are not men, they were kids back then.

    But, I found myself entranced with the song they have with Ne-Yo “Single”

    It reminded me of the days when I used to Jet set and enjoy the beautiful Vibe in the clubs with good people and fine women.

    “Single” I must admit is a great song for these guys and I am surprised by Donny’s voice. I considered him the less of a singer back in the day. Well again that could be some enhanced studio trick but never the less it’s a good tune to chill with a woman with some bubbly and enjoy your time.

    As far as the rest of the tracks off the album, there may be a few diamonds in the rough but I give them boys credit for making it back on the scene with at least a nice tune to groove to. I didn’t like them as kids but I respect them as men.

    Who cares what the critics think. They are getting paid hand over fist.

    Isn’t that the point of a comeback? To give the fans one last hoo-rah and get to paid?

    Go get your money and hell what the critics say.

    LoveJay

  45. Nichola from Darlingon.England.UK Avatar
    Nichola from Darlingon.England.UK

    The things they sang about years ago was teen stuff cos they were only that age themselves.. Joes voice hadnt even broke yet! but now they are singing about more adult stuff cos they are NOT singing to teens still.. for you to think that is just Warped!!! They knew their origianl fans wanted this and we are obviously older now. and if they pick up new fans along the way then excellent!!!

    but as for the “bounce for me” comment… you’ve just made yourself look like a right dick havent ya really!!!! slaggin off some group with wrong words.. its so stupid its not even funny!! your boss must have been really impressed you cant “research” properly.. is that waht you call it?

    NKOTB are filling out venues in the U.S. the UK.. all over Europe… planning Australia and such like.. toured the UK and Europe in january, JUST this weekend finished the spring tour back in the U.S. have a cruise ship in May for them and fan only with a few 1000 on it THEN the summer tour and you tell me your shit!!!! hahahaha give yourself a break. Just cos you are stuck behind some PC with no doubt back-ache critising music cos you cant find anything better to do…. we just cant take you serious… “BOUNCE FOR ME”… thats what did it!!!!

    LMFAO ya crank!!!

    89-FOREVER!!! Nic x

  46. 8756kinfo Avatar
    8756kinfo

    How can they take themselves seriously? I just watched one of their music videos and quite frankly I’m embarrassed for them.

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